Device for reading and analyzing record cards



Sept. 9, 1941. D. BROIDO 2,255,143

DEVICE FOR READING AND ANALYZING RECORD CARDS Filed Nov. 26, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

D. BROIDO Sept. 9,. 1941.

DEVICE FOR READING AND ANALYZING RECORD CARDS Filed Nov. 26, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

D. BROIDO Sept. 9, 1941.

DEVICE FOR READING AND ANALYZING RECORD CARDS Filed Nov. 26, 1937 4Shegts-Sheet 3 Sept. 9, 1941. D. BROIDO 2,255,143

DEVICE FOR READING AND ANALYZING RECORD CARDS Filed Nov. 26, 1937 '4Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5. Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

A TTOR/Vfy Patented Sept. 9, 1941 pnvrcn roa READING AND ANALYZINGnncoan camps Daniel Broido, London, England Application November 26,1937, Serial No. 176,442

In Great Britain November 26, 1936 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for reading and analyzing informationrepresented by the selective projection of elements representingrespectively the various denominational digits of the information to beregistered.

i The object of the present invention is to provide a simplifiedtransmission mechanism, employing only a single control device, forentering the analyzed information into a totalizing register.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of thekind in question in which the control device is actuated by impulsesobtained by the operation of electric contact members.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment ofthis invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevation on a reduced scale of a modified form ofthe analyzing member shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a front elevation of an analyzing member constructedaccording to a further modification; and

Figure 8 is a section on line (IIIVIII, Figure 3. 4

A single-dimensional perforated record or result screen I is placed (byhand or automatically by means not shown in the drawings) in a workingposition between a metallic box 2 and guides 3. The selector box 2contains a number of sensing plates 4, one plate 4 being provided foreach value of each digit the device is required to transmit. Before therecord I is inserted, the plates 4 are pressed outwardly by a bar 5against the action of springs 6 secured by screws 1, but as soon as therecord I is placed into the working position, the bar 5 is released, andthe sensing plates 4 are pushed by their springs 5 towards the record I.Any sensing plates 4 which meet a perforation 8 in the record I projecttherethrough as shown in Figure 4, the remainder being retained behindthe record I; therefore, the number or item represented by theperforations I will be now represented by sensing plates 4 protrudingthrough the record I.

An analyzing member 9 of electrically conducting material, is rigidlymounted on an insulating 55 bush III on a shaft I I supported in theside frames I2, I3 of a registering machine hereinafter described. Theshaft II in the present case is rotated by a handle II. A series ofstuds I4 are mounted on the face of the analyzing member 9 along aspiral line, each stud I4 being individual to a numeral or digit valueof a number to be transmitted. The arrangement is such that the radialdistance of a stud I4 from the centre line of shaft II equals thedistance from the same line of the sensing plate 4 representing the samedigit value; therefore, when a stud I4 passes through the verticalcentre plane of Figure 2, it is exactly opposite its corresponding plate4, and would touch it if the sensing plate happens to project through aperforation in the record I.

The face of analyzing member 9 between studs I4 may, if desired, becovered with an insulating layer I6 so that the studs I4 lie flush withthe surface of said layer. A bracket II carries a brush I8 adapted tomake sliding contact with the hub I9 of the analyzing member 9. Anelectrical circuit is established between said brush I8 and the box 2through an electro-magnetic relay device 20 and a source of electricalenergy 2|. The said relay device 20 is adapted, when energized, to breakthe circuit of and thereby de-energize an electro-magnet 22 adapted tocontrol the numeral wheel clutches of a printing and registeringapparatus.

Said register device comprises a plurality of cams rigidly mounted onthe shaft II to which-the analyzing member 9-is secured, one cam 50being provided for each denomination to be transmitted. A gear segment5| is fixed to each cam 50, each of said gear segments 5| being adaptedto turn a corresponding toothed wheel bush 52 rotatably mounted on ashaft 53. A clutch member 54 is mounted on each bush 52; so that it isfree to slide axially thereon but is compelled to rotate therewith.

Each clutch member 54 is adapted to be engaged and moved axially on itsbush 52 by two pins 55 carried by a clutch fork 56 rockably mounted onbolts 51 in a bar 58, and each of said clutch members 54 is providedwith a pin or pins 59 adapted to engage recesses. in a numeral wheel 60to which is fixed a pinion 6| for operating further registers, stopwheels, etc., not shown in the drawings. Each of the numeral wheels 50carries a zero stud I0 arranged to actuate respectively a wheel of thecarry device (Figures 3 and 8). As shown in Figure 8, the carry devicecomprises two gear wheels II, 12,

formed as a unit, of which one. ii, is in mesh with a pinion I2 fixed tothe next higher numeral wheel 02. The other gear wheel 12 is actuated bythe zero stud II on the lower numeral wheel 00. Thus, the carry iseifected in the usual way.- the zero studs 10 stepping the next highernumeral wheels as and when required. The lower ends of said clutch forksII are maintained against the face of the electro-magnet 22 when same isenergized, but otherwise said clutch forks l aredrawn out of magneticreach of said electro-magnet by springs 02 fixed to the side frame I!and their upper ends caused to bear against the faces of the said cams Iwhich are providedeach with a recess II.

The cams II and the corresponding gear seg-' ments II are off-set insuch a manner that when the shaft ii is driven, the gear segments llturn the toothed wheel bushes 52 in consecutive order at the same timeas the analyzing member 0 brings the studs ll of the corresponding digitseries in front of record i and selector box 2. when agearsegment Iiisinmesh with its bush '2 its cam I0 is in such a position that itsrecess II is opposite the upper end of the corresponding clutch fork It,so that this one clutch fork I. is free to swing around its pivot boltII when the electro-magnet 22 is actuated,

' whereas all other clutch forks 50 are locked by their respective camsI0.

In the initial position all clutch members 54 are disengaged from thenumeral wheels 00 because all clutch forks 5 are locked by their camsII. On turning the shaft ii, the gear segment ll of the firstdenominational transmission unit will start to turn its respectivetoothed wheel bush l2 and the clutch member 54 of the same unit, and thecam 50 turns its recess 50' towards the upper end of the clutch fork llof the same unit, so that this clutch fork is free to move if and when acontact is established between a stud is on analyzing member 0 and oneof the sensing plates 4 which are projecting through a perforation inthe record i. If such a contact is established, the eiectro-magnet 22 isde-energized and the said clutch fork II swings under the influence ofits spring 02 around its pivot bolt l thereby engaging the numeral wheel00 and turning same until the first gear segment Ii is out of mesh withits respective toothed wheel bush '2, whereupon the clutch fork 50 isagain brought to bear against the electro-magnet 22 by the cam 50. Thisoperation is repeated once for each digitto be transferred, whereuponthe bar I is moved outwardly, thereby withdrawing the sensing plates 4from the record i which is then free to drop into a suitable container.

In the form described the member I has seven groups of studs it, eachgroup comprising nine studs. The record cards, similarly, have sevendenominational areas, disposed vertically one above the other, each areabeing sub-divided into nine sub-areas, representing, respectively, thevalues 1-9. The arrangement is such that each group of studs i4 isassociated with one area on' the record card, and each stud of eachgroup is associated with one sub-area of the said area. In the analyzingposition, best shown in Figure 2, when the shaft l i is rotated byhandle ii through one complete revolution, each stud as it passes by thecard is ali ned with the sub-area with which it is associated. In thecase that any one of the values 1-9 is to be transferred from each ofthe areas of the card, plates 4 will project through the correspondi g sbareas of each area. Thus, during one complete analyzing cycle of themember 2, each of said projecting plates 4 will be respectively andprogressiveiy contacted by its associated stud it. There is no stud ilin any group, and no subarea in any area, for zero. Consequently, ifzero is to be registered in any denomination no plate 4 will project inthat denominational area of the card I, and the correspondingdenominational numeral wheel will not be driven at all. since the ma net22 will not be de-energised. The numeral wheel thus remains in thestarting position (in which it indicates zero). In the form describedthe values of each area on the card are sensed progressively from 9-1.

As shown in Figure 1, it is assumed that the first card i to be analyzedrepresents the various denominational values 3025100, and plates 4project through the first, third, fourth and fifth areas on the card iin the sub-areas corresponding respectively to the values 3, 2, 5 and 1.No plates project through the second, sixth and seventh areas. Thus,when the first (highest) denominational group is being analyzed, therelevant numeral wheel 00 is driven by its clutch 64 when the seventhstud ll of the corresponding group contacts the projecting plate I.Thereupon the magnet 22 is de-energized, the appropriate clutch 64engages the corresponding numeral wheel and drives it for three steps,whereupon the clutch is disengaged by the cam 50 and the numeral wheelis arrested in the position in which the numeral 3 is disclosed. In thenext denomination, no plate 2 projects from the corresponding area ofthe card I. consequently the associated numeral wheel will not be drivenand will continue to display zero, as above described. The succeedingdenominations are all registered in like manner.

The complete transmission of a figure from the record i on to thenumeral wheels. of the registering mechanism is eifected during onerevolution of the main shaft i I.

The apparatus described and illustrated is intended for totalizing only,the register wheels being zeroized by hand, if required.

It is understood that the numeral wheels 60 form an accumulatingregister and further devices and registers may be provided for printing,etc., of the intermediate items.

The relay device 20 and its separate circuit may be dispensed with ifthe action of the electro-magnet 22 is reversed, so that it causes theclutch forks 50 to engage the respective clutches 54 when its circuit isclosed by a stud i4 and a sensing plate 4 instead of when its circuit isinterrupted. It is understood that in this case the action of thesprings 62 should be also reversed.

The modified analyzing member 9 illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 isprovided with a continuous spiral 22 of electrically conducting materialinstead of the studs ll.

Instead of rotating the analyzing member it may be moved rectilinearly,in which case it would take the form of an analyzing slide 24 (Figure 7)provided with a diagonal contact strip 25 and driven from the rotatingshaft ii by means of a rack 20 and pinion 21. As will be all possiblevalues of all denominations during a elements, an analyzing memberadapted to engage successively with said projected elements forsuccessively analyzing the various denominations, a plurality ofregistering elements each 01 which is individual to one denomination, aplurality of clutches, each adapted when operated to engage and driveone of said registering elements, means driven in synchronism with saidanalyzing member for successively driving each of said clutches duringeach analyzing cycle, a plurality of clutch operating members each ofwhich is adapted to operate one of said clutches, a plurality of springseach of which is adapted to operate one of said clutch operatingmembers, a single control device common to all said clutch operatingmembers for holding the said members against the action of theirsprings, means for actuating said control device upon engagement of theanalyzing member with said projected elements to permit the operation ofsaid clutch operating members under the action of their springs, and aplurality of cams driven in synchronism with said analyzing member, saidcams normally locking said clutch operating members against actuation bytheir springs, this locking action being independent of the holdingaction exerted by the control device and adapted to permit only oneclutch operating member at a time to be actuated.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the analyzing member isrotatably mounted and electric contact means are provided for analyzingall possible values 01' all denominations during a single revolution ofthe analyzing member.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the analyzing member isrotatably mounted and helically arranged electric contact means areprovided on the analyzing member for analyzing single revolution of theanalyzing member.

4. In an apparatus for entering into a register values represented bythe selective projection of elements, an analyzing member having anelectric contact element for each possible value of each possibledenomination, said contact elements being arranged to engagesuccessively with said projecting elements in succession during eachanalyzing cycle, a plurality of registering elements each of which isindividual to one denomination, a plurality of clutches, each adaptedwhen operated to engage and drive one of said registering elements,means driven in synchronism with said analyzing member for successivelydriving each of said clutches during each analyzing cycle, a pluralityof clutch operating members each of which is adapted to operate one ofsaid clutches, a plurality of springs each of which is adapted tooperate one of said clutch operating members, a single electromagnetcommon to all said clutch operating members for holding the said membersagainst the action of their springs, an interrupter relay for switchingof! the said electromagnet when one of said contact elements on theanalyzing member makes contact with one of said projec g elements, topermit the operation of said clutch operating members under the actionof their springs, and a plurality of cams driven in synchronism withsaid analyzing member, said cams normally locking said clutch operatingmembers against actuation by their springs, this locking action beingindependent or the holding action exerted by th r a n t and adapted topermit only one clutch operating member at a time to be actuated.

DANIEL BROIDO.

